Dark Battle Against Rust

Spraying on some Eastwood Heavy-Duty Anti-Rust

Feature Article from Hemmings Motor News

Salt is the enemy of classic-car collectors and restorers alike. Millions of tons of salt are poured over snow- and ice-covered roads in the Northeast every year. While the corrosive results are obvious, the solution is elusive. Since relocating from the desert climate of California to salt-soaked New England, we've heard about everything from spraying on bar and chain oil and then driving down a dusty dirt road to manufacturer boasts about miracle nano-polymers that convert rust into something pleasant like French toast with maple syrup.

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Having recently purchased an older body-on-frame truck that escaped the ravages of rust, thanks to life in a big city garage, we were open to any sensible and affordable anti-rust solution for winter protection. The rust that we saw on the frame, bolts and front-end bits was mostly on the surface. Keeping it that way was the plan. The search was for a product that fell in between a bar and chain oil spray-down, and due to ever cooling temperatures, any sort of paint. What we found was Eastwood Heavy-Duty Anti-Rust in black.
The aerosol can of rust preventative product from Eastwood is designed to be applied either inside using a flexible hose affixed to the can that sprays in a more or less 360-degree pattern, or sprayed directly onto and around the frame, bolts, and up inside the lips of the fenders. While the product formula itself is listed as a top secret, the black pigmented spray that came out of the can was not paint, and left a flat-finish waxy coating behind. The spray crept into crevices and cracks, so a tarp is a good idea for fancy floors.
One caveat is temperature. Eastwood recommends that the product and surface be at least 60 degrees. They mean it. Trying to get this stuff out of the can in 40-something-degree temperatures was not ideal. We took a break with the cans indoors, while the underbody got a few minutes of 125,000-BTU propane forced air heater. The end result looked great, and will ideally add protection from the heaping table-tons of salt and wintry slurry that usually causes cars to break into three pieces come springtime when the ice holding them together finally melts.
Eastwood
263 Shoemaker Road
Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464
800-343-9353www.eastwood.com

This article originally appeared in the February, 2012 issue of Hemmings Motor News.